What you need to know about seatbelt tickets and your car coverage.
As a driver, you understand that major traffic violations, such as speeding and reckless driving tickets, will increase the cost of your auto insurance in Carrollton, Texas. But what happens when you receive a ticket for something like a seatbelt violation? Here’s what you need to know about seatbelt violations and their impact on your auto insurance rates.
Seatbelt Violations
Drivers get seatbelt tickets when they drive without wearing their seatbelt. Oftentimes, seatbelt tickets are considered a conditional violation, which means you will not get pulled over for not wearing your seatbelt. However, if you are pulled over for another reason and the officer sees that your seatbelt is not secured, then they will issue you another ticket.
How Different States Treat Seatbelt Violations
Some states treat seatbelt violations as non-moving violations. This means that they are on the same level as a parking ticket. The following states handle seatbelt tickets in this manner,
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Delaware
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Utah
- Wyoming
It’s also important to know that states issue seatbelt tickets differently. For instance, some states will issue a ticket to the driver if one of their passengers is not wearing their seatbelt. In other states, the passenger will receive the violation.
Seatbelt Tickets and Auto Insurance
If you receive a seatbelt ticket in the aforementioned states, then it will not affect your car insurance costs. Even in other states, seatbelt violations are considered minor infractions. This means that they won’t cause a major uptick in your auto insurance rates. Typically, seatbelt tickets will not increase your rates by more than 3%. This means that, if you are paying $500 a year for car insurance, then a seatbelt ticket may increase your annual rate to $515. To put this increase into context, a major moving violation such as a reckless driving ticket can increase your rates by over 20%.
This is what you need to know about seatbelt violations and your auto insurance. Do you have additional questions regarding your auto insurance in Carrollton, Texas? If so, then contact the experts at Mike Leonard Insurance Agency. Our dedicated team is eager to find you the right coverage from one of our many carriers including: Kemper, MetLife, Nationwide, Travelers, The Hartford, Safeco Insurance, Progressive, and American Strategic Insurance.